Animated toy attachment for velocipedes



$ 35 1955 H. soe m-rz 2,709,601

ANIMATED TOY ATTACHMENT FOR VELOCIPEDES Filed April 2, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l Hons Goerditz INVENTOR.

ATTOR NEY M, 1955 H. soanm'rz 2,709,601

ANIMATED TOY ATTACHMENT FOR mLocIPEDEs Filed April 3, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hons Goerditz v INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY May mi 1955 H. GOERDITZ ANIMATED TOY ATTACHMENT FOR VELOGIPEDES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'Filad April 2, 1954 FIG FIG.6

Hcms Gqer'ditz INVENTOR. BY AT TO R N E V ANHMATED TOY ATTACHMENT FOR VELOCIPEDES Hans Goerditz, New City, N. Y.

Application April 2, 1954, Serial No. 420,639

7 Claims. (Cl. 280-1302) The present invention relates to an animated toy and refers more particularly to a toy simulating the head and forepart of an animal, the head and forepart being distinct members pivotally connected together and each member having a distinct pivotal movement in a vertical plane.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a realistic toy to be attached to a wheeled vehicle such as a velocipede, and which will simulate the motion of the head and forepart or" an animal running, such as a galloping horse.

Another object is that the toy shall be detachable from the vehicle, such as velocipede, to leave the latter free for its more usual use.

Still another object is that the simulated action shall be faithful to the original to the extent that the toy is articulated and the distinct members thereof partake of perceptibly different movements.

A further object is that the actuating mechanism of the toy shall be relatively simple, therefore durable and economical to manufacture.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention, a baseboard or plate is provided with means for rigid demountable attachment to the front fork and king pin of a velocipede, bicycle or other wheeled vehicle, preferably of a type in which the child due to his position on the ve- S'tates Pa O F hicle may imagine himself riding the animal whose head and forepart are simulated. At a concealed point adjacent its upper rear corner the forepart is pivoted to the board. Concealed in the forepart is a roller which rests on the wheel and is driven thereby, and is connected by reducing gears to a crank wheel. A crank is eccentrically pivoted to the wheel and to an interior portion of the forepart. A gear plate carries the roller and gears and also a fixed rod which extends through the neck and head. The head is pivoted to the neck at a point below the ears. The crank oscillates the forepart in a vertical plane around the pivotal connection to the board, causing substantial up and down motion of the neck and cars. A yoke inside the head near the longitudinal midpoint thereof slides on the fixed rod so that as the ears rise the nose dips and vice versa, while the angle of the lower jaw and neck varies from approximately sixty-five to ninety degrees.

in a modified form, the crank is connected to the pedal rod of the velocipede, and the fixed rod is connected directly to the baseboard.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter described. In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my toy mounted on a velocipede, the forepart being in low position.

Figure 2 is a similar view, the forepart being in high position.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure l.

2,709,601 Patented May 31, 1955 Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the clamp members for attaching the toy.

Figure 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of the invention.

. Referring now in detail to the drawings, my toy 10 has a baseboard 11 with a pad 12 on its rear surface about midway its length. The lower half portion 13 of base board 11 is forked so as to pass down over the front wheel 14 of a velocipede 15 or similar wheeled vehicle. The forked portion 13 is formed with holes 16 for the pins 17 of the J straps 18, the latter being formed with a longitudinal slot 19 with which diagonal slots 20 communicate at close intervals, the pins 17 being slidable in the slots. Top strap 21 is generally U-shaped, has a thumbscrew 22 threaded into its bight portion, and each of its arm portions 23 has a return portion 24 rendering each arm portion J-shaped. The return portions 24 extend through the slot 25 near the top of baseboard 11. Top strap 21 encompasses the king pin 26, the latter, as well known, being a spindle rigidly connected in operation with the front fork 27 of the vehicle and revolubly supported in the front post 28 for steering the front wheel 14.

The toy as illustrated comprises a first and larger distinct movable part Sit in the shape of the forepart of a horse, including a body portion 31, front legs 32 and neck 33. A simulated horses head 34 is pivotally connected to the forepart, and is the second and smaller distinct movable part. It need hardly be stated that other animals or objects may also be simulated as desired.

It is also evident that although an animal forepart and head have been chosen as apt descriptions of the two principal visible components of the toy, the invention can also be applied, for instance, to an animal. hind part and tail, the tail being pivotally connected to the hind part as the head is herein illustrated as connected to the forepart.

The forepart is hollow and constructed of papier mach laid over a suitable framework 35 of wood according to well known practice, and suitably painted to simulate the forepart of a horse. The forepart pivot 36 is located near the upper rear portion of the forepart and the upper portion of baseboard 11 and connected to both by hinge straps 37, 38. The forepart 30 is thus suspended from pivot 36 which extends in a substantially horizontal plane.

The gear plate 39 is connected by gear plate pivot 40 which is substantially horizontal and by straps 41, 42 to baseboard 11. Plate 3? mounts the roller 43 on a common shaft with gear 44, also the gear 45 meshing with gear 44 and on a common shaft with gear 46, and the crank gear 47 meshing with gear 46. The rigid rod 48 is also embedded in plate 39. Crank pin 49 on crank gear 47 is engaged by the crank rod 50 and crank pin 51 in the framework 35 is engaged by the opposite end of crank rod 50.

The head pivots 52 are located on a common axis adjacent the rear of head portion 34 and substantially at the highest and almost the foremost portion of neck 33 of forepart 30. Pivots 52 connect the head .34 pivotally to the forepart 30, as clearly seen in Figure 3.

The fixed rod 43 has a foremost portion 53 which extends from a high point above and to the rear of pivots 52 substantially longitudinally and centrally of head 34 in Figure l, to a point in advance of the partition 54 which extends approximately perpendicularly from the top surface of the head to the bottom thereof, being located forwardly of pivots 52 approximately three fifths of the distance to the tip of the nose. Partition 54 is formed with a vertical slot 55 and is thus constituted a yoke which slides back and forth along the forward portion 53 of rod- 48. Head 34 is thus suspended from pivots. 52 and rests by gravity on the portion 53, which is thus a means limiting downward motion of the head, or more exactly, of the partition 54 of the head.

The method of operation is as follows:

Pins 17 are inserted in slots 19 and in a pair of holes 16 selected according to the length of the fork 27 of the velocipede or other vehicle 15. The J straps 18 are then engaged with the branches of the fork 27 as illus trated. Top strap 21 is then engaged around the king pin 26 and the return portions 24 are then engaged in the slot 25. When the thumb screw 22 is tightened, strap 21 pulls the baseboard 11 to the rear at its top, which sends the lower extremity of baseboard 11 forward, the pad 12 resting against fork 27 and acting as a fulcrum. The pins17 having further been engaged in an appropriate pair of slots 20, the baseboard by final tightening of screw 22 will be rigidly connected to the fork 27 and kingpin 26 in substantially parallel, fixed relation. Disassembly in order to free the vehicle for conventional use is a matter of moments after loosening screw 22.

As the front wheel rotates, rotation is imparted to roller 43 and over the gears 44, 425, 46, 47 to crank pin 49. Crank 50 transmits its motion through pin 51 in framework 35 and the forepart 3t) oscillates in a vertical plane around the axis of forepart pivot 36. The motion of pivots 52 at the upper extremity of forepart 30 is transmitted to the rear portion of head as. Forepart 30 is at the lower limit of its arc of motion in Figure 1 and at the upper limit in Figure 2.

The gear plate pivot 40 permits roller 43 to contact the wheel 14 of vehicles of different size having different size wheels, and would not be necessary if the toy were manufactured in a special size for each vehicle. The gearplate 39 and rod 48 maintains a constant position relative to fork 27 at all times when the toy is properly mounted on the vehicle. Forepart pivot 36 also being fixedly mounted relative to fork 27, rod 4-8 is fixed relative to pivot 36.

As forepart 30 rises, pivots rise and bring the rear portion of head 34 with them. Head 34 being suspended against gravity on the pivots 52 and portion 54 resting on portion 53 of rod 48, raising the rear of head34 and pulling it backwards, the nose dips as the head goes back and the cars go up. The angle of the lower jaw with the neck in Figure 2 is thus approximately sixty-five degrees. When the forepart is lowered in simulation of a horse extending his neck and head at a gallop, the rear of the head is lowered and thrust forward, while the nose is raised, and the angle between lower jaw and neck is approximately ninety degrees. Also seen by comparing Figures 1 and 2, the partition 54 slides back and forth along the portion 53 of rod 48 during the above described motion imparted to head 34- by the pivotal connection to forepart: 31

In the modification shown in Figure 8, all parts not illustrated and not substituted by the illustrated parts, are identical to those previously illustrated and described.

The pedal rod 56 of the velocipedc has a pin 57 located cccentrically of the axis of the shaft of the front wheel 14A. A longer crank rod 5 3A connects pin 57 to pin 51A set in the framework 35A of forepart 30A. The fixed rod 48A is connected directly to baseboard 11A.

In this form of the invention, the forepart SllA rises and falls once for each revolution of front wheel 14A of the vehicle, the motion of pin '57 being translated by red 50A into up and down motion of pin 51A, and the operation being in all other respects identical.

Itwill thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In an animated toy, a base board having means for attachment to a wheeled vehicle, a simulated animal forepart pivotally mounted on said baseboard, a simulated animal head pivotally mounted on said forepart, means fixedly mounted relative to said baseboard and underlying a portion of said head to support the same at a point forward of the pivotal mounting thereof, and crank ieans driven by a wheel of said vehicle and connected to said forepart and causing the same to move up and down around its pivotal mounting.

2. In an animated toy a baseboard, means for detachably mounting said baseboard above the front wheel of a velocipede or the like, a simulated animal forepart, a forepart pivot mounting said forepart on said baseboard, a simulated animal head, a head pivot mounting said head near the rear thereof on said forepart, means exaxis of said forepart pivot, the movement of said forepart sliding said head backward and forward relative to said fixed underlying means.

3. In an animated toy for use on a wheeled vehicle, a baseboard, means mounting said baseboard in fixed relation on said vehicle, a simulated animal forepart pivotally mounted near its upper rear corner on said baseboard, a simulated animal head pivotally mounted near the rear portion on said fore part, rigid means extending from said baseboard and in fixed position relative thereto to a location underlying a portion of said head forward of the pivotal mounting thereof, and crank means driven by a part of said vehicle and connected to said forepart and actuating the same up and down pivotally relative to said baseboard.

4. In an animated toy for use on a wheeled vehicle, a baseboard, means for connecting said baseboard rigidly to said vehicle, a simulated animal forepart, a forepart pivot connected to an upper rear portion of said forepart and to an upper portion of said baseboard, a simulated animal head, a head pivot connecting a rear portion of said head to a forward portion of said forepart, a

gear plate connected to said baseboard, a roller mounted on said plate and engaging a wheel of said vehicle to be driven thereby, a crank mounted on said plate and driven by said roller and connected to a portion of said forepart, and a rod extending in fixed position from said plate to a position underlying a portion of said head located forwardly of said head pivot, whereby turning of said wheel drives said roller and said crank and oscillates said forepart up and down around said forepart pivot and said head slides back and forth along said rod.

5. In an animated toy for use on a velocipede or the like, a baseboard, means mounting said baseboard substantially parallel to the front wheel fork and above the front wheel of said velocipede, a hollow simulated animal forepart, a forepart pivot connecting the upper rear portion of said forepart to an upper portion of said baseboard, a hollow simulated animal head, a head pivot connecting a rear portion of said head to a forward portion of said forepart, a gearplate located inside said forepart and extending forwardly from said baseboard, a substantially horizontal gearplate pivot connecting said gearplate to said baseboard, a roller mounted on said gearplate and resting on said front wheel, a crank mounted on said gearplate and connected to said forepart and driven by said roller, and a rigid rod extending fixedly upwardly from said gearplate through said forepart and forwardly through said head and supporting said head at a location forward of said head pivot, turning of said front wheel actuating said roller and crank to oscillate said forepart about the axis of said forepart pivot, and

5 said head sliding backwards and forwards on said fixed rod, the lowering of the rear portion of said head lifting the front portion thereof and vice versa.

6. The combination with a wheeled vehicle of a simulated animal forepart pivotally connected thereto, a simulated animal head pivotally connected to said forepart, means driven from a moving part of said vehicle and oscillating said forepart in an up and down are with respect to said vehicle, and rigid means extending in fixed relation from said vehicle and supporting a portion of said head against gravity, said portion of said head sliding on said supporting means as said head changes position due to the motion of said forepart.

7. An articulated toy for use on a wheeled vehicle, comprising a first distinct movable part, a first pivot connecting said movable part to said vehicle, a second distinct movable part, a second pivot connecting said second part to said first part, means connecting said first part to said wheel and imparting arcuate oscillation around said first pivot to said first part upon the turning of said Wheel, means extending rigidly and in fixed relation to the axis of said wheel and acting as a motion limiting means for a portion of said second part removed from said second pivot, said second part being urged against said stop motion means by gravity, said second part being oscillated by said first part around said second pivot and said motion limited portion sliding along said motion limiting means when so oscillated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,619,438 Schoenke Mar. 1, 1927 1,859,617 Carlstrom May 24, 1932 2,027,759 Anderson Jan. 14, 1936 2,578,682 Fernstrom Dec. 18, 1951 

